Chapter 48 Chapter 48 "Miss Xue has a lover?" ...
In the blink of an eye, half of October has passed.
This year's winter solstice falls in the early eleventh month of the lunar calendar, and the winter sacrifice ceremony is getting closer.
While Xue Yuanyin was busy looking for the "Guan Lu Tu" for His Royal Highness Prince Yu, he secretly tried to find his former classmates at the Imperial College and inquired about the news about Liu Minyan.
Only then did she realize that Liu Minyan was one of the most outstanding students from poor families in the Imperial College, and was known as the "Twin Pride" together with Shen Lu. This person was weak and looked sickly, but had a good temper, or rather, was too gentle.
Classmates said that he was friendly to everyone, but he rarely opened his heart to others.
Xue Yuanyin had no idea how Liu Minyan had gotten involved with the Xue family, but she felt relieved to learn this. She was afraid that Liu Minyan had no ulterior motive and simply wanted to marry her, and she would be powerless to resist.
But fortunately, it seems that he has ulterior motives. I don't know what kind of cooperation deal he has reached with Xue Chang, or maybe he simply wants to get on board with His Royal Highness Prince Yu... In short, he is definitely not as gentle and kind as he appears to be.
On the contrary... it's like a sickly, beautiful snake, slithering towards you, waiting for another chance to bite you.
After a few days, Xue Chang probably felt that the time was ripe, so he called Liu Minyan to his house and asked Xue Yuanyin to meet him.
"I believe you already know each other, so I won't introduce myself to you in detail."
Xue Chang said solemnly, "Young Master Liu is a man of profound learning, gentle and kind, humble and kind. Although he's a little frail, you're still in good health. You two complement each other..."
Liu Minyan, dressed in plain white, sat beside him, smiling and listening, showing no impatience. Xue Yuanyin was not interested at all. When Xue Chang finished speaking and asked her to show him around the Xue Mansion, she took him to the deserted courtyard, turned to look at him, and said straight to the point:
"Mr. Liu, I will not marry you. Let's part ways amicably."
Liu Minyan just smiled but did not answer directly, saying:
"It seems this isn't something you and I can decide. Perhaps it depends on your father's opinion."
Xue Yuanyin was a little speechless after being refuted by his words.
Indeed, what she said didn't count at all. Xue Chang was determined to marry her to a boy from a poor family. Now that person was Liu Minyan, and tomorrow it would be Zhou Minyan or Li Minyan. What would be the point if she rejected one of them?
At least this Liu Minyan is a sickly person. Even if he is a scheming person, it seems that he will not live long. Maybe she can outlive him in her lifetime.
Xue Yuanyin lost interest in the conversation and was unwilling to maintain superficial politeness. She sat in the pavilion, playing with her fingers, and said dejectedly:
"I'm a little tired, Mr. Liu, please feel free to do as you please."
Liu Minyan didn't move around, but sat opposite her and poured two cups of tea. His movements were not standard, but they had a smooth and flowing beauty. Although he smiled, his tone was indifferent:
"Miss Xue has a lover?"
Xue Yuanyin paused playing with her fingers and looked up at him.
Liu Minyan smiled helplessly and said, "Don't worry, Miss Xue. I'm just a nobody, how can I investigate you? It's just that you don't know how to hide your thoughts, and I'm good at reading people's minds, so I just made a random guess."
Xue Yuanyin lowered her head and said lightly: "Oh, then you guessed wrong, I don't have a sweetheart."
"Really?"
Liu Minyan covered his chest and coughed softly. After catching his breath, he spoke softly, "I guess... it's the one from the Zhang family's eldest house?"
Xue Yuanyin suddenly clenched her hands, raised her head and looked at him coldly:
"How dare you slander my innocence? You're a guest here, and this is how you discuss our marriage with me?"
Liu Minyan said gently, "How can you slander your innocence? Isn't this marriage still unfinished?"
Xue Yuanyin was so angry that her heart was blocked. How come these scholars were all so eloquent? Zhang Jingxuan was like this, and so was Liu Minyan!
I thought Liu Minyan wanted to say something else, like using this as a handle to threaten her, but unexpectedly he gently put down the teacup, stood up, and said gently and politely:
"I don't want to force anyone to do anything. Since Miss Xue is so resistant, we can talk again when we have the chance. It's too late today, so I'll take my leave first."
He bowed and then stood up and left.
Xue Yuanyin glanced at the sun. How could it be too late? This Liu Minyan really had no sincerity at all. Even his perfunctory excuses were so halfhearted.
She sat in the pavilion in silence for a while, thinking of Liu Minyan's words just now. She pinched her cuffs with her fingertips and touched the green jade pendant in her sleeve pocket that Zhang Jingxuan had left with her.
Even Liu Minyan could visit her openly and leave at any time, but his contact with her was only maintained through a "flesh business", which was unreasonable, without any name or status, and could not even be considered a private transaction.
The jade pendant made her fingertips turn white, but she had a blank expression, as if she didn't feel any pain at all.
After a long time, Xue Yuanyin called the servants to take away the teacups, then stood up and left.
-
Xue Yuanyin searched for the expensive painting for a long time. Even when His Royal Highness Prince Yu sent someone to urge her to hand it over, she still couldn't give it to Prince Yu.
Prince Yu was disappointed with her after all. He only sent someone to deliver a letter, asking her to prepare gifts and go to the Ministry of War, and did not assign her any other tasks.
Xue Yuanyin was already familiar with the errand of visiting the Ministry of War. She got on the carriage and, as the carriage swayed along, she closed her eyes to rest and fell into a drowsy sleep.
I actually had a dream, and it was a dream about Zhang Jingxuan.
She couldn't tell where she was, she just felt hot all over. It was clearly winter, but she was so hot that a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead. She felt the heat source behind her and looked back with difficulty. It was Zhang Jingxuan lying on her, his palms gripping her lower back very hard, and there was an unusual heat between her legs.
Xue Yuanyin's cheeks flushed, and she instantly understood what Zhang Jingxuan was doing. He was using the inside of her thighs... She closed her eyes, swallowed the intermittent sound in her throat, and clutched the stool under her.
The lonely boat and the waves seemed to be about to overturn her, shaking her unsteadily.
The dream seemed wanton and passionate...but she knew it was not just a dream.
This scene had actually happened to her and him. The last time they met at Nantang Temple, she had truly felt his passion in the villa in Chungui Alley.
But at that time, there were several layers of clothes between him and her, and he did not have such suppressed ferocity. He held her silently, as if he wanted to crush her.
And she, like him, eventually began to exhale rapidly and unconsciously.
…
Xue Yuanyin suddenly opened his eyes and looked around. It was the inner wall of the carriage.
She was stunned for a moment, then slowly sat up and rubbed her stiff neck.
It turned out to be a dream, fortunately it was a dream... Unfortunately, it was just a dream.
She regained consciousness, lifted the curtain, and asked the driver, "How long have we been out of the mansion?"
The driver said honestly, "It's only about two incense sticks of time."
Two incense sticks, it seems that she just dozed off for a while and didn't sleep too deeply.
I actually had such a dream, and it was a wet dream...
Xue Yuanyin felt annoyed at her own incompetence and looked at the surrounding scenery. She had already passed Zhuque Street and drove into the opposite lane.
She suddenly remembered something and looked out - Chungui Alley was right in front of her.
Xue Yuanyin quickly stopped the driver and said, "There's a pothole in the alley ahead. Let's take another route."
The driver responded and drove the carriage to the road next to it.
Xue Yuanyin lowered the curtain, lowered her eyes, and stared blankly at the wrinkles on the hem of her scarlet skirt.
The dream she just had made her vaguely remember that she had not seen Zhang Jingxuan for a long time since she last met him at Nantang Temple.
Or rather, she deliberately avoided seeing him.
The winter solstice was not far away, and perhaps because the weather was getting colder, her mind, which had once been obsessed with handsome men and beautiful women, had become a little more clear-headed.
If His Royal Highness Prince Yu fails to become the chief priest in the Winter Sacrifice Ceremony, his prestige in the hearts of the people in the capital will be greatly reduced, and it will be difficult for him to seize the position of crown prince in the future.
Xue Yuanyin arrived at her destination smoothly and received a generous gift. The trip was completed smoothly. She got on the carriage and headed home.
The carriage passed Chungui Alley again.
Time seemed to stretch out for an eternity, and she didn't call to stop, but walked straight past. She lowered her head, not allowing herself to look back at the house.
The carriage slowly drove into the alley ahead, and there were a few noisy sounds coming from it, as if vendors were coming out to sell snacks outside the alley.
Xue Yuanyin suddenly asked the driver to stop the carriage and said, "I want to eat some sour cinnamon preserved fruit. Please help me queue up."
The driver asked doubtfully, "But, Miss, are you mistaken? Sour cinnamon preserves are not sold here."
Xue Yuanyin said calmly, "Really? I remember it's not far. I'll have some wontons at the vendor up ahead. Can you buy me some preserved fruit? I'll be waiting for you."
The driver hesitated for a moment, then when he saw the purse of small change handed to him, he said "OK", stopped the carriage by the roadside, took the purse, and went to the entrance of the alley on South Street.
Sour cinnamon preserved fruit is only sold at Tianjia Old Brand.
Xue Yuanyin watched him walk away, suddenly got off the carriage, ran towards Chungui Alley, and knocked on the gate of the villa.
After a while, just when she thought the red door would not open, it slowly opened and Zhang Jingxuan's figure appeared behind the door.
He rarely wore an ochre-red brocade robe and a black crane cloak. His eyes were calm and he didn't look very interested. It seemed as if he had been waiting for her for a long time, but also as if he had just arrived.
Xue Yuanyin looked at him without blinking.
It was snowing just at the right moment, floating gently in the air and landing in the quiet alley. Zhang Jingxuan, with his tall figure, beautiful eyebrows and eyes, and unique and elegant demeanor, added a touch of bright color to the silence.
The young man stood silently, but saw that the surrounding areas were covered with barren fields, while he was dressed neatly, his ochre robe fluttering, untouched by frost and snow.
The door swayed slightly, making a long creaking sound in the alley.
Zhang Jingxuan's light brown eyes fell on the somewhat embarrassed girl.
She was wearing a scarlet brocade skirt and a snow-white rabbit-hair crane cloak. Her oval face had become thinner and was as white as porcelain and almost translucent. Her eyes, like lychee kernels, were clear and bright. The hem of her skirt swayed gently in the fine snow, along with the round, white pearls on her temples.
After a while.
Zhang Jingxuan said calmly, "Didn't I give you the key?"
Xue Yuanyin said, "Didn't you open the door for me?"
After a pause, she tilted her head slightly and whispered, "Are you waiting for me?"
Zhang Jingxuan did not answer, but looked at her calmly and said slowly:
"What about you? Are you here to look for me?"
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